"We must constantly prove that we are human" : A critical discourse analysis of the representation of the young man in the magazine FRIDA (English)

Abstract [en]

The aim of this study was to examine how the Swedish teenage and womens magazine Frida represents young men in texts as well as in the associated images. By men, meant the ones Frida refers to as he. The questions examined were: How are the young men represented in the texts and associated images in the magazine Frida 2017? How is the relationship between the represented men and the readers constructed? To approach this we made a critical discourse analysis according to Fairclough of 55 texts, long as well as short, from the four issues of Frida from 2017, all including men who either say something or who Frida writes about. The conclusion says that the man who is represented is a sexually active person with a successful career, all through an actor or musician. The man is formed in the images to be desirable for the readers, by having eye contact with her. The reader is offered to fantasize about him as a future partner. The man also possesses a lot of knowledge and experience about love and the keys to a happy life. The magazine is highlighting attributes that the readers can identify with. Frida emphasizes how the man is someone to aspire to and seek approval from.